bellwetherdays's review
challenging
dark
reflective
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
4.5
56bumblebees's review against another edition
dark
reflective
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
totallynotanerd's review
Didn't really understand the stories that much so lost interesr
thoughtsonbooks's review against another edition
4.0
This is an absolutely stunning collection of short stories; brilliant, enlightening, poignant, and very very sad. The eight stories in this collection are all a wonder to read but some stories did not quite work for me. Maybe if the brilliant stories hadn't been so fantastic I would have been more lenient; as it stands, this a near perfect collection - but not quite enough for 5 stars for me.
Josh Weil tells stories set in transitory moments - where something, often some invention, changes everything about a person's life, for better or for worse. Be it the advent of electric light in a rural community in the middle of nowhere in the US or the invention of satelite mirrors that end night as we know it in exchange for never-ending light (and productivity).
There were two stories that particularly moved me and that once again showed me what a brilliant medium the short story can be:
"Long Bright Line" - about a woman who always feels observed and at the side line finding her calling and her destiny in her brilliant art. Weil manages to paint such vivid pictures of the art she creates that I felt a profound sadness at the fact that it doesn't exist. Juxtaposed with the advent of air travel and the way women were left out, her story was an absolute wonder.
"The Point of Roughness" - about a husband whose relationship with his wife is forever changed when their adopted daughter turns out differently than he hoped. It is a story about love and loss and about unhealthy obsession and about how some people are unable to deal with change. This story made me reel with emotions and unable to look away. It is beyond stunning and one of the best pieces of writing I have read in my life.
The stories all had a profound effect on me. I adore the way Josh Weil makes his characters come alive in the few pages we get to spend with them and how every single one of them felt unique and real, even if exaggerated in their current situations. His language is vivid and unique and full to the brim with feeling and beauty and metaphor. I am beyond impressed with this book.
___
I received an arc of this book curtesy of NetGalley and Grove Atlantic in exchange for an honest review. Thanks for that!
Josh Weil tells stories set in transitory moments - where something, often some invention, changes everything about a person's life, for better or for worse. Be it the advent of electric light in a rural community in the middle of nowhere in the US or the invention of satelite mirrors that end night as we know it in exchange for never-ending light (and productivity).
There were two stories that particularly moved me and that once again showed me what a brilliant medium the short story can be:
"Long Bright Line" - about a woman who always feels observed and at the side line finding her calling and her destiny in her brilliant art. Weil manages to paint such vivid pictures of the art she creates that I felt a profound sadness at the fact that it doesn't exist. Juxtaposed with the advent of air travel and the way women were left out, her story was an absolute wonder.
"The Point of Roughness" - about a husband whose relationship with his wife is forever changed when their adopted daughter turns out differently than he hoped. It is a story about love and loss and about unhealthy obsession and about how some people are unable to deal with change. This story made me reel with emotions and unable to look away. It is beyond stunning and one of the best pieces of writing I have read in my life.
The stories all had a profound effect on me. I adore the way Josh Weil makes his characters come alive in the few pages we get to spend with them and how every single one of them felt unique and real, even if exaggerated in their current situations. His language is vivid and unique and full to the brim with feeling and beauty and metaphor. I am beyond impressed with this book.
___
I received an arc of this book curtesy of NetGalley and Grove Atlantic in exchange for an honest review. Thanks for that!
balancinghistorybooks's review
4.0
I have been really looking forward to reading Josh Weil's stories. The tales here are connected by the themes of light and electricity. Such a sense of history is built within these incredibly varied tales, and I found Weil's writing style wonderful; he really knows how to tell a story. There was one tale here ('The Essential Constituent of Modern Living Standards') which I didn't enjoy that much, but others were great; 'The Point of Roughness', for instance, is absolutely stunning. Weil manages to make these stories as imaginative and innovative as they are realistic; his characters move and breathe. The Age of Perpetual Light is a rich and thoughtful collection, and I am very much looking forward to reading more of Weil's books in future.
aasplund's review
3.0
The Age of Perpetual Light is a collection of unique short stories by Josh Weil. Ranging from Jewish peddlers selling lightbulbs to modern day couples trying to bring new experiences to their marriage, these stories explore human emotions and experience throughout the past century.
I enjoyed these stories. They were beautifully written and interesting to read. I was introduced to an eclectic group of characters and exposed to their ideologies, experiences, and feelings. Most of these stories take place more internally than anything. There was a lot to appreciate about these stories.
However, I didn't love this collection. It was fun. It was enjoyable. It wasn't anything that really stood out to me or anything that I'll be suggesting to someone in two years. There was something lacking (or perhaps something I missed) in these stories. Most of them addressed deep emotions, but my involvement with the stories stayed at the surface. I could rarely relate to characters, I kept reading to be done rather than being hooked, and I rather frequently had to reread sections to understand what was going on and why things were significant. So while this was a good collection of stories, it wasn't great.
Recommended for lovers of beautiful writing and strong emotions in books.
I enjoyed these stories. They were beautifully written and interesting to read. I was introduced to an eclectic group of characters and exposed to their ideologies, experiences, and feelings. Most of these stories take place more internally than anything. There was a lot to appreciate about these stories.
However, I didn't love this collection. It was fun. It was enjoyable. It wasn't anything that really stood out to me or anything that I'll be suggesting to someone in two years. There was something lacking (or perhaps something I missed) in these stories. Most of them addressed deep emotions, but my involvement with the stories stayed at the surface. I could rarely relate to characters, I kept reading to be done rather than being hooked, and I rather frequently had to reread sections to understand what was going on and why things were significant. So while this was a good collection of stories, it wasn't great.
Recommended for lovers of beautiful writing and strong emotions in books.
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